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As usual, Melli had informed Molly that she'd be leaving. Why wouldn't she? The girl didn't like it when she was gone in the first place, so not telling her was bound to cause all sorts of worries that Melli just didn't want to deal with. She was normally the protective and obsessive one, but sometimes Molly gave her a run for her money. Either way, after carefully telling her where she'd be, when she'd be back, and other details of the sort, she set out for Carpathia.

Which, surprisingly, she wasn't lying this time around. What she wasn't doing, however, was telling the entire truth; she only intended to be in Carpathia for a very short amount of time, as she was looking for something very specific that would lead her right back towards the Yaschas Ruins. And the Yaschas Ruins were considered a very dangerous place, so of course she wouldn't tell Molly about that part. No one liked her going out to the Ruins for some reason-- they always told her that she was chasing ghosts. And had Melli sat down to decipher what they were saying, she might have realized they meant her parents, not the ancient civilization the Yaschas Ruins used to house.

Either way, she made her way through the back streets of Carpathia so as to avoid being seen by any of the military, weaving in and out and eventually to a doorway that she'd read about. A door that she'd tried to pick the lock of many, many times before but had been unsuccessful-- a door that she'd recently "acquired" the key to. That had certainly been one of her more difficult missions, considering the damn key was a damn family heirloom to a bunch of people who didn't even know what it was, and it made her feel a little guilty to take it. But she'd pay them back tenfold, right? And she'd return the key just as soon as she was finished. Or something.

But it was raining in Carpathia, naturally, and as she took the key out of her pocket and went to open the door, it slipped right out of her hands and behind her, splashing into a puddle just a few feet away. Quickly she jumped to grab it right back up, but her hand easily collided with… another hand? What?

Noah wasn't exactly the most savvy of thieves, that much was certain. He usually rode on coat tails, he usually chased other thieves, and he usually stole other treasures, but the job of a thief wasn't exactly the most honest one of all anyway, was it? It didn't matter if he was dirty about it in the end, when he thought of it that way, because he was already doing dirty deeds to start with. Regardless, he didn't have a good reputation among towns and, specifically, with other thieves, but he remained in the Shadow Council anyway. It was where he got his clues from, after all; he couldn't give that up without giving up thieving altogether, now could he?

The guild itself had been kind of boring lately, though. Either there was literally nothing of interest going on in the world of Kateria anymore, or the other thieves had smartened up and had realized that Noah wasn't exactly the best person to tell important information to. Of course, the reality of the situation was the second option, but Noah, being the rather daft guy he was, believed it was the first. He listened regardless, though, which was both a good and a bad thing in the end. You see, some (awful, obvious) eavesdropping caused him to overhear something about some ruins and that was, sadly, enough to pique his interest.

He was also of the impression that another thief or two would be going to the ruins, so he quickly made his way to Carpathia to beat them to the punch. Upon arrival, he remembered why he hated the town, first of all, and secondly he realized that he might have been tricked. Just maybe. As far as he could tell, there were no other thieves in the area, or at least none that he recognized. This was not only a problem because it meant that he had to navigate some stupid ruins by himself, but it also meant that he might not even have a way in.

He trekked over to the entrance of the ruins regardless, however, and once he arrived, he found something else entertaining. It seemed like he wasn't alone after all, and upon seeing the girl before him, he smirked a little. She was probably not a thief, he reckoned -- judging by her looks, she was probably a scholar or something, but none of that really mattered in the end. What did matter was the fact that she clearly knew how to get into the ruins. The glinting key that dropped from her pocket clarified that much, and without thinking he was suddenly diving for it, his own hand colliding with hers as she, too, reached down to grab it.

"Uh, sorry princess,' he sighed, shaking his head and flashing a smile up at her, 'I think this belongs to me."

In spite of the fact that she was, too, a thief, she never once suspected that she was being followed. For one, she was heading off into a back alley that no one visited anymore, and for two there just didn't appear to be anyone out and about at all. That didn't stop pickpocketers, of course, but she felt confident enough in her own skills to think she was smart enough to know if someone was following her. Which, clearly, she wasn't.

So for a moment, she didn't know how to react. Her eyes widened as she looked over at the guy, specifically as he flashed a smile at her, and she just seemed... legitimately confused for a few moments. Why was he addressing her like he knew her? She investigated his features for a second before realizing that, no, he wasn't someone he knew, he was just... wait, was he part of the Katerian Legion? Panic flashed across her features for a second, but she was still too stubborn to let it go that easily.

"No, it's not yours, I dropped it, so clearly it's..." Hers? It wasn't hers at all, she'd stolen it from someone else. And for some odd reason, she just couldn't bring herself to lie like that. Stealing, sure, but lying? For some reason she was just a mixed bag of morals, though she liked to think she only stole for the sake of other people. Which, actually, she did. So that justified it, right...?

Maybe if he was a part of the Katerian Legion, he would be fooled by her nonchalant attitude, anyway. "It's just a warehouse full of cauldrons past this door," she lied easily, in spite of that hesitance to do the same just moments before. She really was very conflicted, especially considering how much she actually did like stealing. It was exhilarating, okay? And she really hated the fact that her precious key was in his hands. "I'm not sure why you would want the key. There's nothing of value behind that door." Except some burial catacombs that led right into the Yaschas Ruins. No big deal.

Noah really had no idea what he was doing, though that much was probably obvious by his ridiculous statement. Of course it wasn't his key; clearly it was hers, or at least, he thought it was hers. Still, in his silly little mind, he assumed that he could convince her that it was his key because, well, he was just good like that in his mind. He had a really nice set of eyes and a killer smile, after all, and she was female. Usually all it took was a nice grin or two and some pretty words and bam, they were eating out of his hand. It had always worked before, so surely it would work now, right?

So he tried, despite his better judgment. "No, no, really, it's my key. It belongs in my family,' he added with a chuckle, shaking his head like the story was the most natural in the world. "I'm from the great Bayard family. Surely you've heard of us?" He flashed another grin, though his words were obviously lies. He didn't look like someone who was remotely well off in the world, let alone nobility. His clothes practically screamed thief, after all.

He pressed on regardless, though, and he even laughed as she admitted that there was nothing behind the door. Hell, he honestly didn't know if there was or not, truthfully, as he'd really only heard rumors, but he knew that he couldn't let her know that. "Oh no, see, now I know that isn't true,' he lied, trying desperately to convince her of as much. "After all, my family owns this... these... this place."

He paused for a second and a thought occurred; his eyes flickered back to her and he smiled again, though this time it was mischievous. "Speaking of which, how did you get this key, hmmm, princess?"

Belonged in his family? Melli's eyes widened immediately, betraying her. Had she been seen when she'd taken the key? She thought she was being very, very sneaky when she took it just a week prior; had someone been hiding out, waiting for her to come to that door? She looked over him for a short second, certain that she hadn't seen him before, and he didn't quite look like nobility, either. Then again, he could be out for a bounty just as easily, so what did she know?

"You, I--" She actually hadn't known the family name when she stole the key, but she was aware that it was nobility she'd stolen from. She only stole from nobility, after all, as strange as it was. "I've never heard of your-- that family. Never. This is my key."

As he motioned to the door, though, she glanced in the direction he was pointing, her brow furrowed. And for a split second, she was about to ask him what was behind that door, if he really was part of that family. Then again, that would make things obvious, wouldn't it? And she still couldn't tell if he was lying or not.

But as he asked how she got the key, she sort of stuttered, her eyes wide as she looked around. She was a terrible liar, honestly, so it was clear by the way she paused that that key wasn't hers, not at all. "It's a family heirloom," she said, though she didn't clarify that it wasn't, y'know, her family's heirloom. "It's been passed down, and now I have it."

"I think you must have the wrong place... there's another door on the other side of town that is apparently very... uh..." How could she attract his attention to it? She had no idea. "It doesn't hold cauldrons, I mean. It's not boring and stupid like this, I mean-- can I just have the key back? Please?"

Noah had been hoping and banking on his comment, at least, but he didn't really have faith in it, that much was certain. He honestly had no idea what was behind the door she so desperately wanted to get into, nor did he know whether or not the key was actually hers, but that expression that flashed across her features was certainly helpful to the cause. He raised his eyebrows without thinking, another smirk crossing his features in the process, though he quickly realized that he was probably giving himself away at the same time.

"Really?" he asked at her rebuttal, his expression shifting back to one less suspicious. "You've never heard of that family? Then why does your expression say otherwise?" He smirked again and crossed his arms over his chest, knowing good and damn well that he'd likely caught her this go round. Thieves were liars usually, after all, and if there was one thing Noah was good at, it was telling and subsequently knowing a lie.

She was persistent though, he had to give her that. She kept going on and on, fabricating her story more and more, and for a second he almost believed her. What if it really was her family heirloom? Then again, he realized, she likely wouldn't be acting so ridiculously skittish if she actually had good reason to be there in the first place. Logic normally didn't cross his thoughts so easily, but he could at least recognize that.

"No, I'm sorry princess, I can't just do that. You see, I think it's you that's confused, so if you'd kindly just let me have my key back, I'd greatly appreciate it. You can just be on your way and go back to cooking mead for the bar patrons."

For being a good thief, she certainly wasn't a good liar. It was for reasons like these that she usually lurked the shadows-- that she was quick, almost undetectable, and smarter than her enemy. She didn't take many risks, and that was certainly what this situation was. If this was his key, then he could take it back and inform the guards and--

Wait, that was something he wasn't threatening to do, not at all. If he was actually of nobility and owned this key, it wouldn't be a matter of arguing with her in a back alley over it. It would be a matter of taking her right over to the guards, who would surely recognize the girl from all of the posters. And within a few days, it was off to the guillotine for poor Melli. Regardless, he wasn't doing so; instead he was smirking at her like he was playing some sort of game.

She could play games, too, she realized; she was just about to spout off some sort of witty comment when, y'know, he made his own comment that had her head spinning. Go back to cooking mead? Did she look like a fucking barmaid? Just that implication had her seething already; did she not look like she could fend for herself? Then again, being a damn good thief wasn't something she wanted to advertise, and likely he wouldn't believe her if she said it anyway. Regardless, her cheeks were turning a bright shade of red as she obviously fumed in place, glaring at him.

"What--you-- did you just-- I am not a barmaid, thank you very much. What are you trying to say, anyway? That since I'm a woman, I should automatically be doing something like that? What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're-- you're ridiculous, you know that?"

It was then that a smirk crossed her features, too, and she raised an eyebrow at him, her arms crossed over her chest as she took a step forward. "Listen, I don't think it's very proper to cross a lady in a back alley and demand her to give her possessions up. Should I call one of the guards, or can we settle this by you handing over that key?"

Poor Noah just wasn't bright enough to realize that he could have easily walked her over to the guards and gotten the key back by means of force. Of course, he seemingly also forgot that he could momentarily stealth and just take the damn thing, too. He, perhaps, was having too much fun with this girl, whether he realized it or not. And that, sadly, would be the unraveling of his little game and any chance he ever had at that stupid key, but he just didn't realize that. Poor Noah.

He was also just too daft to realize that his little barmaid comment would be the end of their charade altogether. He was normally an offensive person, sure, but it was never on purpose; he wasn't smart en0ugh to offend people on purpose, after all, as that would actually require a functioning thought process. So when the girl actually started stuttering and freaking out, he couldn't really hold back the shocked expression that flashed across his features.

"Hey, what, whoa, wait, hey... what the hell, woman? What is your problem?" He blinked and glared at her, his head cocking to the left as she uttered the words 'you're ridiculous.' What had he even done to warrant that? What on earth was her problem? Had she drank something earlier in the day? Was she a day drinker? Had he really just stumbled across some random beggar that found a key and thought they got lucky? She'd seemed fine just minutes before.

His mind was practically reeling as he tried to figure everything out, too, when she mentioned something else that had his jaw nearly slapping the ground. Guards? What? Guards? No! No guards. Wait... he stopped for a second and stared at the girl rather blankly, his eyes narrowed as he thought through his options. Guards... he could just stealth away from them, right? And leave her there to point out his presence. His presence that would be, if he stealthed, not there. Then they could cart her off to prison to see if she was crazy or not which would leave the key... well, it would be all his.

"Sure. Call them over,' he started, that insufferable smirk crossing his features again.

Her smirk disappeared at his response-- was he serious? "What is my problem? My problem is that some misogynistic ass has my key." She was obviously fuming, too, though by this point the rain was picking up and she was having trouble keeping such a serious expression up. Could he just... give her the key and let her by? She couldn't exactly rent a room at the Inn, nor could she navigate home in this... these circumstances just sucked.

"I'm not stupid, you know. I'm aware that if I go and grab a guard, you'll just run off with the key. You're not getting off that easily." She narrowed her eyes at him, just moments away from growling. Had she realized she was being rather vicious, she might have stopped. But considering no one had really brought this side out of her before, it was something she could barely recognize in the first place.

But a loud thunderbolt caused her to jump, specifically towards him, and for some reason she clung to his arm for a moment. Wait, what? Immediately she released it, pretending as though she was making a grab for the key instead. It wasn't as if this guy was going to protect her, anyway.

"Look, just-- can we both go? It's storming and I'm really tired of arguing about this."

He was serious. Noah was stupid, Noah was daft, and Noah was misogynistic,[/i] and everyone, man or woman, that had ever met the man knew it. It practically came off of him in waves, after all, so it wasn't like it was the first time he'd been insulted or even heard that specific insult before. Nonetheless, it hurt his feelings, just like it always did, and that much was expressed on his face as he stared down at her and tried to look pissed. He was failing miserably, however, as that pouty expression just could not be kept away from his features.

She was quite the talker though, it seemed; she kept on keeping on and he hardly had any chance to speak, sadly. He even didn't have time to mope either, it seemed. It was all good in the end, however, because she brought up a point that even daft, dense Noah couldn't miss. She was backpedaling, and if there was one thing he knew how to do successfully and knew how to recognize because of it, it was backpedaling. Slowly but surely a small, arrogant grin appeared on his features and erased his memory of anything prior to that moment. It was a golden moment. A shining moment. The best moment ever. And he'd be damned if he didn't let her know it.

"What? But aren't you the one who suggested we call a guard over anyway? Do you have something to hide, hmm, princess? Should I call a guard over here just to see? You wouldn't mind a chat with the legion, would you?" He was still grinning in the most arrogant way, too, when the rain seemed to break through the sky with ridiculous force. He shrieked, then whimpered, before he sighed at the state of his now soaked hair. He hardly had a chance to linger on that, however, because within seconds the girl was clinging to his arm.

Which should have softened that hardened, thieving heart of his, but instead it just made him all the more cocky. "To an inn? Judging by the way you just jumped me, I'd suggest it as well. I didn't picture you to be the forward type, but I'm not a man who likes to argue."